
MANCHESTER 



LITTLE VISITS 



LITTLE VISITS 



Raymond E. Manchester 

AUTHOR OF 

THE TRAIL OF THE INDOOR OUTER 



PRESS OF 

F. W. ORTH COMPANY 

CUYAHOGA FALLS. O. 



^^^fa't< 



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Copyright 1917, 1918, 1921 

By 
R. E. MANCHESTER 



FEB 18 1922 



©GU654709 



To 

Mary Jane and Betty 

and 

Grandpa Kennedy 



Little Visits 



FOREV/ORD 

I stand on the hill at evening,- 
A little girl at my side. 
We look down the darkening valley, 
Where the painted cloud-ships ride. 

I see a fair sky tomorrow, 

With a day's work bought and sold; 

She sees the land of fairies, 

Where the cloud is edged with gold. 

We stand there, each with a vision, 
Her hand clasped tightly in mine. 
The sun-set is what we see in it, 
And such is God's design. 



Little Visits 



QUESTION 

Have you yet lived on some short street. 
Where v/alks re-echo running' feet; 
Where pavement holds a game of ball 
And walls send back a boy's shrill call? 

Have you yet lived on this highway, 
Where life is young with happy play 
And hoped you might, by tongue or pen, 
Preach childhood's creed to other men? 



Little Visits 



MAKE-BELIEVE 

Today we played at make-believe 
And grandpa was the baby. 

Mother was the little girl, 
And I, a great big lady. 

We had a lunch of ginger-bread 

And poured our "pretend" tea. 

I passed the plate to mother, 

Then she passed it back to me. 



Little Visits 



MY BEAN 

I hoed and raked the g-arden clean, 
Then covered up my Lima Bean, 
I prayed and soon the sun-light came, 
And, in a day or two, some rain, 
Then after ages, it would seem, 
I saw a little bit of green; 
But that one bean must be a clown, 
For he came up, just upside down. 



Little Visits 



MISTER ANGLEWORM 

After TR'm comes on the lawn 
And a'l the thunder clouds are f>'one, 
The dii't lifts up beneath the fern, 
And out comes Mister Ang'leworm. 

He humps his back, then lengthens out, 
And pokes his pointed nose about; 
He loves to roll, and stretch, and squirm. 
This lazy Mister Angleworm. 

Then Mrs. Robin hops along. 
For she knows where good worms belong. 
Slie gives her head a saucy turn. 
And, down goes Mister Angleworm. 



Little Visits 



MARY'S PRAYER 

Mary went to early churcli 
On a Winter's day 
Put her penny in the box 
And held her hands to pray. 

"God Bless Grandpa, God bless Dad, 
"God bless all the sick. 
"God bless all the suifering- souls 
"In Arithmetic." 



Little Visits 



ROBIN RED-BREAST 

Little Robin Redbreast 

Hoppinp; along; 
Looking for worms 

Upon the green lawn. 
Hop along, listen! 

Hop along, stop! 
Pull out a long one, 

Then, 
Hop along, hop. 



Little Visits 



MORNING 

When the 'larm clock starts a-ring-iiig 
Daddy covers up his head; 
Bat the birds all start a-sirj^ing' 
And the sun jumps out of bed. 



Little Visits 



MY BROTHER 

The doctor came today at four, 
And hurried in at our front door. 
'Most every other person knocks, 
But he just walked in with his box. 
I had to go with Frit'', to play, 
And nurse told me to stay away. 
But I ran home to see my mother, 
And there beside her was a brother. 
He liad the cutest little toes 
And little wrinkles on his nose, 
But had an awful reddy face 
From being- in the doctor's case. 



Little Visits 



THE LITTLE GRAY ELF 

A little y-ray Elf went out i;o; his health 

In a beautiful pea-pod boat; 
And wore, for a liat, the ear of a rat 

And a June-Bug's wing for a coat. 

He had dined on snails and humming-bird's tails 

And soon was deep in a dream, 
As he slept in the breeze from tlie cucumber 
trees. 

On a sky-blue pink sun-be.im. 

But a black cloud came with a pail full of rain, 
Just when our tale should begin 
And down went the boat and the June-Bug 

coat 
When a wet rain-drop fell in. 



Little Visits 



BED TIME 

My daddy reads me stories, 
Of what the fairies said. 
I climb in his lap 
For a short little nap. 
And wake ap tucked in bed. 



Little Visits 



MY SURPRISE 

When it was Sand Man time last night, 
And mother had me tucked in tight. 
She said, "Now if you shut your eyes, 
"I think you'll find a big surprise." 

So when awake I looked to see 
What mother's big surprise could be 
And sure enough, as she had said, 
I found some Measles in my bed. 



Little Visits 



BABY'S SECRET 

Little Miss Sober-Sides, 
Looking so wise: 
What are you seeing- 
With your big- eyes? 

What are you thinking of? 
Why do you stare? 
Tell us your secret, 
Baby, so fair. 

Tell us, dear baby. 
As you sit on your cot. 
The sweet things you know 
That mother does not. 



Little Visits 



THE HIRED MAN 

The hired man is awful thin, 
And I wish yon could see, 
The elevator m his neck, 
C(i up and down with tea. 



Little Visits 



MY KITE 

Isn't it fun to run with a kite, 
Feeling- the wind make it sail: 

Then to watch it nodding; at you 
And wagging- its funny tail? 

Isn't it fun to give it a jerk 
And watch it dive about: 

Isn't it fun to wind it in 
And then let more string out? 



Little Visits 



THE PREACHER 

Today the preacher talked an hour 
About our moral will; 
His lower jaw went up and down; 
His upper one staid still. 



Little Visits 



MUD PIES 

Have you ever made pies of sand and mud 
Until mother told you to stop? 

Then put them out on a stick 
In the sun 

Till the sand was dry on top? 

If you haven't made pies by the 

Back-line fence, 
And baked them in the sun; 

You had better start this very day 
And see if it isn't fun. 



Little Visits 



MY PLATC 

There's a bird with yeHov/ feathers 
Painted on my dinner plate: 
And I wonder if it wanted 
All the good things that I ate. 



Little Visits 



A SECRET 

Do you know why the grasshopper has big 
legs 

And hops where he wants to go? 
Do you know that he chews tobacco, too? 

I do, for he told me so. 

Do you know why his legs come oft* like a 
doll's 

When the ends are not sewed well? 
I do, but I'm not saying a word, 

For he asked me not to tell. 



Little Visits 



GOING TO BED 

When I am washed and prayers are said 
And Mother says, "Now go to bed," 
I always think of quite a few 
More pleasant things I'd like to do. 



Little Visits 



THE WREN 

A wren sat 

On a clothesline post, 
And said, "I think 

"What I'd like most 
"Is just a house 

"With a door so small 
"No jay could stop 

"To make a call." 



Little Visits 



THE ZOOLOGIC MAN 

Here's a little rooster, there's a little hen; 
Over on the post-top sits a little wren; 

Here's a bunny rabbit, there's a yellow cat; 
I'm a zoologic man and wear a leather hat. 



Little Visits 



COASTING 

I tell yon, there's a liill I know, 

And you should see the way we g"o. 
The pusner-off just takes a run, 

And then a-scooting dov/n we come. 
The snow comes, zip, into our faces, 

And almost takes us from our places. 
If I grow big enough to steer, 

I'll surely have some fun next year. 



Little Visits 



WEATHER 

I've seen it rain on i)leasant days; 

I've seen it snow in June; 

I've seen it rain down hail-stones, too, 

And swept them with a broom. 

Now when I tell my Daddy so, 

He says, "You're full of talk;" 

But yesterday it rained some worms, 

All over our front walk. 



Little Visits 



A CATERPILLAR 

A caterpillar crawled 

Upon my bed, 
And when he came 

I hid my head. 
He may not do 
A mite of harm: 
He may be friendly 

On the farm: 
He may ))e fine, 

But I don't care 
For any friend 

With so much hair. 



Little Visits 



THE CELLAR MAN 

There's a man who cleans our cellar 
Who calls parasol umbrcller: 
If I cry he says, "Don't heller, 
"Be a good brave little feller." 



Little Visits 



THE BLISS OF A KISS 

Just think of the bliss, 

That comes of a kiss, 
From a dear little Miss, 
About four. 

And make it your plan 
To find, if you can, 
A happier man 

At the door, 

Than the one who gets this 

Most heavenly kiss, 
From a dear little Miss 
About four. 



Little Visits 



A BOY'S CHRISTMAS WISHES 

I pray for good weather to Heaven above, 
And wish for my Mother, ten barrels of love, 
I wish for my Daddy a dozen big- piles. 
Of pleasrint, "Good-Mornings," and sweet happy 

smiles, 
I ask for my sister, a million good wishes 
And want for myself, a pair of new britches. 



Little Visits 



APRIL EVENING 

A robin sings in the garden. 

The sun is big and red. 
My mother sings 
Of birds and things, 

And I go to sleep in my bed. 



Little Visits 



FERG and WIFE 

At six feet four, Ferg ceased to grow; 
His wife is four feet, six or so; 
But logic fails sometimes at that 
For both their hearts are amply fat, 
And so it was, one pleasant day, 
A little girl came there to stay. 
The neighbors, near, all had a fit, 
And that's the long and short of it. 



Little Visits 



IN WINTER 

I think it fun in Winter 

When it snows and blows outside, 
For then my daddy plays at horse 

And takes me for a ride. 

My mother cuts out dollies 
And makes them paper clothes; 

My grandpa builds me castles 
Out of blocks and dominoes. 



Little Visits 



THE MAGIC MAN 

Today I saw a magic man 

Take rabbits from a hat, 

And take a quarter from his nose 

And all such things as that. 

But our old hen can do as well; 

She knows some magic, too; 

She does one trick I'd like to see 

That man of magic do. 

She climbs into her nest of straw, 

And sits down on her leg; 

Then winks and says "Cluck adle oo' 

And there's a shiney ef-':g. 



Little Visits 



MY GRANDPA 

I liave a gray-iiaired Grandpa 

Who wears wliiskers on his chin, 

And there's no one in r.he world I like 
As well as I like him. 

He wakes me in the morning 
With a "Hello, Snoop-en-dyke," 

And puts his head in at the .door 
To ask rne who I like. 

He helps me button on my shoes 
With mother's buttonhook. 

Then fastens up my corset 
While I read my bunny book. 

Sometimes he brings me candy 

Or chewing gum to chew 
And when it is my birthday 

He brings me toys, too. 

He always mends my dollies 
And he never does play rough; 

So I think that I will marry him 
When 1 grow big enough. 



Little Visits 



THE ROAD 

The road, so wide and full of men, 

Goes on without an end; 

As far as I can look or see 

There isn't any bend. 

Some day when I am big* enough 

When I am nine or ten, 

I'll walk upon it round the world 

And come right back again. 



Little Visits 



LITTLE SISTER 

Come, little sister, 
Do not cry: 
Daddy must work 
For you and I. 
Do not pout, 
Or fret, or fuss: 
He will soon 
Come back to us. 
He likes us best 
When we behave, 
So, little sister, 
Just be brave. 



Little Visits 



WHEN I AM BIG 

When I am bic>- FlI go to work 
And have a dinner pail. 
And when the auto doesn't start, 
I'll say, "Just twist 'er tail." 



Little Visits 



TllK CIRCUS I'AKADE 

A big- toot-tool, 

And a funny clown; 

A lady in 

A gorgeous gown; 

A six-horie team 

On a wild-west stage; 

A man in tights 

In a lion's cage; 

The negro minstrels 

Sing a song, 

And then the camel 

Comes along. 

Last of all, 

The farmer's hand; 

Then we go 

To the peanut stand. 

I buy some 

Yellow lemonade, 

And that is the last 

Of the circus-parade. 



Little Visits 



THE BUTCHER 

The butcher has a Vvarly nose, 
And says, "Now don't you fret; 
"You'll grow to be a working-man, 
"Before your Mother, vet." 



Little Visits 



RAINY DAYS 

On rainy days I play inside, 

And get out my gray horse to ride. 

I fill up by big saddle sack, 

And take a ride to town and back. 

I like a rainy day or two, 

For then my toys all seem like new; 

And no one asks me, "What's the matter?' 

If I do make quite a clatter. 



Little Visits 



THE MASTER HEALER 

Doctors, healers, medicine-rnen: 
Seers from Zanazee; 
All the balms from root and stem, 
Or juice from camphour tree! 

None has yet the potent drup; 

To bring- that perfect bliss. 

That comes from Mother's g-entle hug- 

And Mother's healing- kiss. 



Little Visits 



THE WIND 

There's one thing- I can't figure out, 
When all the leaves are ])lown about; 
And that is where the wind is from, 
For I can't see it go and come. 
It helps the birds upon their way 
And moves the ships upon the bay: 
It puts a kiss upon m.y cheek, 
And makes the waves upon the creek. 
I hope some day to understand 
Why wind blows over sea and land. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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